'Bikini ban' slated for Spanish island of Mallorca

By CNN Staff

Updated 8:57 PM ET, Thu May 1, 2014

Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – The evolution of the bathing suit has reflected society's attitude towards swimming, outdoor living, modesty and sensuality. Click through this gallery of bathing suits through the ages to find out more.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – In 1825, women wore "bathing dresses" at the beach. This illustration shows women of the era venturing into the ocean via bathing machines -- sort of a dressing room on wheels -- that brought them directly to the water.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Fashionable bathing suits in the 1870s featured tunics atop bloomers.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Perhaps this couple, rendered in 1875, was unable to swim, because they are wearing the "ureka" unsinkable bathing outfit that has paddle gloves, a buoy and an emergency flag.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Victorian-era bathing suits, especially for women, covered more of the bather's skin than in the past, often including stockings.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – When the practice of swimming as a sport caught on thanks to the modern Olympic Games, bathing suits became streamlined, for greater mobility. These women competed in the RSC swimming gala in 1906.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Hollywood helped glamorize bathing suits as early as 1925, with Keystone Studios' "Sennett Bathing Beauties," whose bathing suits were considered provocative.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Even if Hollywood starlettes wore outrageous beach attire, other beaches across the country, like this one in West Palm Beach, Florida, were subject to suit regulations introduced by beach censors.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – The Jantzen swimsuits of 1933 were form-fitting and less restrictive of movement than previous swimwear.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – By 1942, bathing suits developed a recognizably modern style.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – French designer Louis Reard designed the "Bikini" in 1946. While other versions of two-piece swimsuits had already appeared, this one caused a real splash. Reard was unable to find a fashion model to wear the suit, so he had to hire this nude dancer from the Casino de Paris.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – In the pin-up style, like the famous image of Betty Grable in a bathing suit from 1943, bathing suits were modeled in come-hither poses.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Swimmers in Acapulco, Mexico, show off Hawaiian print swimming trunks in 1950.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – The bikinis of the 1950s offered women with curvy figures, like Marilyn Monroe, left, pictured in 1951, and Bettie Page circa 1955, the structured support of undergarments.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Teeny, weeny, yellow polka-dot bikinis and surfin' trunks capitalized on the California-style rock 'n' roll beach party frivolity of the early 1960s.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – By the end of the decade, California beach style took a psychedelic spin with graphic prints and barely-there bikinis. Body paint, as worn by Goldie Hawn on "Laugh-In," rounds out the look.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Actress Farrah Fawcett was a swimsuit icon in the 1970s. A poster of her wearing a simple rust-colored bathing suit and a wide smile adorned many a teenager's bedroom.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – The Hawaiian Tropic bikini pageants of the 1980s featured models in skimpy, high-cut bikinis and swimsuits, which showed off the sun-worshiping, tanning culture of the time. Marla Maples, pictured here in the center, was a Hawaiian Tropic beauty queen before becoming Mrs. Donald Trump.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Olympic runner Florence Griffith Joyner was known for her flashy running outfits, which reflected the sporty influence on bathing suit fashion of the late 1980s.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – In the 1990s, fashion models shot to fame by landing the cover spot of the 'Sports Illustrated' swimsuit issue. Tyra Banks was the first African-American model to grace the cover, and did so consecutively in 1996 and 1997. Her fellow cover models include Kathy Ireland, Vendela Kirsebom, Heidi Klum, Rebecca Romijn and Rachel Hunter.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – The leggy lifeguards on the television show "Baywatch" made these tank-style one-piece bathing suits a staple of 1990s television.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Toward the end of the 1990s, women wanting the cuteness of a bikini but the coverage of a one-piece found salvation in the "tankini." Here, Sherece Shurmain Smith, Miss U.S. Virgin Islands 1999, models an Oscar de la Renta tankini.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Speedo, the company that is synonymous with tiny men's swimsuit that's favored by professional swimmers and European men, made a splash at the 2000 Sydney Olympics with a high-tech, full-body swimsuit (the Fatskin) that cuts a swimmer's drag in the water. A newer version of the suit was famously used by Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – Whether you call them board shorts, surf trunks or boardies, the long, bright swimsuits took off in the 2000s, especially among surfers and skaters. You can still find the long, drawstring versions but recent updates shortened them, or re-styled them to suit women.

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Bathing suits through the years25 photos

Bathing suits through the years – When plus-sized fashion blogger Gabi Gregg popularized the term "fatkini" last year, she dreamed of helping plus-sized women feel better about themselves during the swimsuit season. This spring, she teamed up with clothing line SwimSuitsForAll -- and her suits sold out in one day.

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Story highlights

Proposed new law will ban the wearing of swimwear outside of bathing areas in Mallorcan capital Palma

Measure is part of wider campaign to crackdown on what is seen as anti-social behavior

There are concerns that fines could be slapped on unsuspecting visitors, but many welcome the ban

If you've got it, don't flaunt it -- at least not on the Spanish resort island of Mallorca, where citizens are so sick of under dressed tourists that fines could soon be issued for inappropriate attire.

A proposed new law, reportedly close to being enacted, will ban the wearing of swimwear outside bathing areas in the island's capital, Palma.

Officials say they're happy for visitors to let it all hang out on the beach, but when it comes to wandering around town, semi-nudity is a no-no.

2012: Too much? Bikini model flaunts baby bump

Celebs show off beach bodies – It's that time of the year again when folks strip down and head for the water for a bit of fun in the sun. Last year, Rihanna celebrated the winter holidays with a beverage and a beach in Barbados. See how other celebs flaunt their beach style ...

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Sam Claflin channeled his water-loving "Hunger Games" character Finnick Odair while vacationing in Hawaii in April 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Kate Moss and husband Jamie Hince enjoyed Ibiza's sun and sand in June 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – "Pretty Little Liars" star Shay Mitchell strolled on Maui's sands in a two-piece in June 2014 .

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – "Pretty Little Liars" star Tyler Blackburn made sure to stay hydrated while on the beach in Maui in July 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Ryan Phillippe showed off his beach body in Miami in June 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Jordin Sparks was ready for poolside fun at the opening party for Tao Beach in April 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – LeAnn Rimes walked carefully while visiting the beach in Ventura, California, in April 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Orlando Bloom took some beach vacation time -- sans shirt -- in June 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Anne Hathaway hits the waves in Miami, Florida, in March 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Naomi Watts sprints across Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, in December 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Charlize Theron goes for a ride on a Jet Ski while in Miami, Florida, in March 2014.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Jeremy Piven enjoys a seaside stroll in Malibu, California, in August 2011.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Singer Pink got a jump on the action in February 2013 when she and her husband, Carey Hart, spent the day on the beach in Miami with their daughter, Willow.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Rosario Dawson goes for a dip while promoting her movie "The Captive" at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival in May.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Mommy-to-be again Halle Berry headed to the beach in Hawaii with her fiance, Olivier Martinez, and her daughter, Nahla, in March 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – "Nashville" actress Hayden Panettiere and her rumored fiance, Wladimir Klitschko, enjoyed some time together on the beach with friends in Hollywood, Florida, in March 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs show off beach bodies – Reese Witherspoon celebrated the Fourth of July holiday in 2013 with polka dots.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Rachel Bilson enjoyed a day on the beach with friends while on vacation in Barbados in April 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Patrick Schwarzenegger (son of Arnold and Maria Shriver) joined some friends in having a blast on the beach while on vacation in Miami in March 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Jessica Alba vacationed with husband Cash Warren in St. Barts in April 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – "Dallas" actor Jesse Metcalfe gave his fiancee, Cara Santana, a lift at the beach in Santa Monica, California, in April 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Nina Dobrev hung out with friends (including actress Julianne Hough) on the beach in Miami in April 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Nicole Richie donned a black bikini in St. Barts in April 2013.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – "Wolverine" star Hugh Jackman enjoyed an early morning swim at Bondi Beach in Sydney in July 2012.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Jada Pinkett Smith shows off her athletic figure at the beach in Kauai, Hawaii, in November 2012.

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Photos: Celebs show off beach bodies27 photos

Celebs and their beach bodies – Actor Jim Carrey walked the beach in Malibu with an unidentified woman in September 2012.

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EXPAND GALLERY

Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars 15 photos

Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Babette's beach – It is 50 years since Babette Beatty was the first model to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, following a photo shoot in Mexico.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

New life – Now living in the mountains of Oregon, Beatty is a painter -- and her husband is a sculptor.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

American beauty – The 2012 and 2013 issues had the same cover model, American actress and model Kate Upton. The latter was partly shot in Antarctica.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

'The Body' – No-one has graced the cover more times than Australian model Elle MacPherson, who made her first appearance in 1986 and her most recent 20 years later.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Stakes are high – Sports Illustrated has used all manner of marketing ploys to sell the magazine, most notably last year with a 55,000-square-foot video screen on Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Sky's the limit – In 2009, Israeli model Bar Refaeli's bikini-clad image was emblazoned on a Boeing 737, which flew between New York and Las Vegas.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Survivor – Czech model Petra Nemcova was the cover star back in 2003. The following year she suffered serious injuries in the December tsunami in Thailand, which claimed the life of her fiance.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Sultry South American – Argentina's 2002 and 2006 cover star Yamila Diaz-Rahi was first discovered as a model while holidaying in Uruguay.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Surprise! – The identity of the cover star is a closely-guarded secret and the magazine does the utmost to keep it secret until publication, as in the case of 2001's Mexican model Elsa Benitez.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

There's something about Maria... – The inside pages of the magazine have seen an increasing number of sporting appearances, among them Maria Sharapova, who according to Forbes is the world's highest-paid female athlete.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Dreamgirl – Singer Beyonce is another to have made it into the magazine, appearing on the cover of the 2007 issue in a yellow bikini. The magazine billed it as: "The dream girl as you've never seen her before."

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Hollywood party – Model Upton, who has twice graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, attended a Hollywood party earlier in January to celebrate the magazine's 50th anniversary.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Rock model – Aerosmith's Steven Tyler was also at the party. He is pictured here with model Marisa Miller.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars – Another model at the party was Katherine Webb who appeared in the 2013 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

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Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover stars15 photos

Ground breaking – Tyra Banks was the first African American woman on the cover of the swimsuit issue when she posed with Valeria Mazza in 1996.

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EXPAND GALLERY

"I do not know of any upscale resort town that allows this practice," Alvaro Gijon, deputy mayor of Palma, reportedly told a recent press conference.

The proposed crackdown is part of a wider set of measures aimed at tackling what is seen as anti-social behavior on the island, a popular package destination for north Europeans.

No specific penalties have been detailed in Palma City Council's "Ordenanza Civica" -- also known as the "good citizen plan."

'Devoid of superior clothing'

However, the UK's Daily Mail newspaper expressed concerns that what some media outlets called a "bikini ban" could leave unsuspecting travelers facing fines in excess of $800.

Its readers seemed less concerned, with some commenting that they'd welcome a cover-up.

One of them, Calagran, commented: "I've lived on Mallorca for the past 11 years and it makes my skin crawl when I have to stand behind some fat sweaty individual in the supermarket who thinks it's OK to let it all hang out."